Continuous dyeing and developing machine



March 21, 1950 B. v. sTEc 2,501,480

CONTINUOUS DYEING AND DEVELOPING MACHINE Filed Oct. 27, 1944 3Sheets-Sheet l B. v. s'rEc 2,501,480

CONTINUOUS DYE'ING AND DEVELOPING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 F IE 2 IMarch 21, 1950 Filed Oct 27 1944 March2l; 1950 B. v. sTEc commuousDYEING AND DEVELOPING MACHINE Filed Oct. 27, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 aa-Ullllllu H-zsa HIIHI "Hum.

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"Hm n Patented Mar. 21, 1950 ooN'riNuoUs 'DYEING AND DEVELOPING MACHINEBernard V.r1-Stec, (EastPaterson, N; J., assignor-to Botany WorstedMills, Passaic, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey ApplicationOctober-e7, 1944, seams. 560,646

( c1. es '9 The present invention relates to machinesfor dyeing lengthsof continuously moving fabric webs, and in such -manner that theweb ispassed through primary and secondary dye baths with intermediate rollpressure means and thence into a development chamber within which heatis provided, as by steam coils. In thischamber the fabric web "is ledover the-lowermost of a series of separator rolls and thence passes overone or plurality of rolls carrying longitudinally extended slats, theWeb then being led to the upper area of a chain-feed, consisting of twoor more spaced chains carrying between them spaced slats or bars uponwhich the web rests in its movement from one end of, thechain to theopposite end. After leaving the chain-feed theweb is carried downwardand ledover the second 'one of the separator rollers and thence'up, asbefore, to and over the chain-feed and thence down to thethird one ofthespacingrollers the web moving in the same way-toeach one of the.spacing rollers until the layers of the fabric web on the chain areequal tothe number of spacing rollers employed, and the initial end ofthe web. lies at the inside or lower face of the pile atthe dischargeend of the feed-chain. At this point the web is led over a turning barand out of the casing in which the aforesaid elements are contained. Bymeans of'such instrumentalities in thecombination, the fabric web -isdyed with uniformity throughout, and the-dye development maybe adjustedas to timewithout affecting thespeed of the machine, by simply changingthe number of the separator rollers and hence the numberof laps built upuponthe feed-chain prior to the turning and discharge movement of thefabric webfrom the ,machine. it 1 The invention will be described indetail, with. reference to the accompanying drawings, in

which: i i

Figure-ifs a view in sectional elevation showing: an embodiment of themachine;

Figure 2 is a'view in elevation, partly broken away, showing the driveface of. the development chamber. 1 v 1 Figurex3 is a-plan view, partlyin'sections, showing the-turning bar and the turning and dischargeroller and certain driving connections.

Figure tie a; fragmentary and schematicview, in, perspective; "showingthe action of the turning Figure 5' is perspective view of carrying.feedrrolls.-. l r

Figure Gris-a fragmentary end view of :the structure shown infFigure 5with 5 lapsof the fabric'web supported; bytheslats. Figure 7.",is. ahorizontal section J'throug h th secondary dyevchamber;showing themounting of- ;the dancer; roll therein. a

.Figure. 8. a "verticalsection.through one: of

nefof theislat- ,6 Claims.

, 2 the chains of the chain-feedshowing a plurality of laps of fabricweb on two bars of the chain; Referring to the drawings, I have shownschematicallyin Figure l a base member I which carries a frame 2. Theframe will consist of spaced sides supporting between them a primary dyecha'mber indicated atfi, and at the lower area of the chamber-will bedisposed a guide roller lior 'the fabric web 5 extending down-- wardlyfrom a guide roller 6. Between the ver tical frame members is a secondguide roller 1, over which the wet Web ofiabric is led in its passagebetween squeeze rollers 8, Bar, the latter acting to press the dye intothe fibers of the web andalso to remove excess dye. One of the rollersmaybe pressed toward the other by the fluid pressure means indicated at9 andwhich customarily will consist of a cylinder with a pistonthereinthepiston being enacted to a rod l0 engaging one or both of the shaftsupporting arms I l for the roller 8.

After leaving the squeeze rolls the 'fabricweb passes over guiding rollI 2 and downwardly under a dancer roll I3 within secondary dye tank Mand thence upwardly into the dye developing chamber. Within chamber I land at each side thereof, may-be disposed vertical guide channels l5 forthe outwardly projected shaft ends of the dancer roll.

The development chamber may be of anydesired form and construction andis closed except for inlet and outlet passage ways for the travellingweb. In Figure l the casing of the chainber-is shown in vertical sectionas constructed of 1 detachable elements and the chamber is generallyindicated at l6. Inasmuch as the charm ber except for one or more faceplates may be of unitary construction the section lines through thedetachable units thereof are, for convenience Of-illllSlllflfllOll,extended in the same direction.

.The entrance aperture for the development chamber casing isindicated atIT and above it isa guide roll is over which the webfis led to thespacedslats of a feed roll 19. r This roll'i'nay be ofany suitableconstruction, including that illustrated inFigure 5. .The constructionin that figure consists of-a shaft Ear carrying spaced disks il9,-whi chin turn carry spaced slats; l filr'x. In the" drawing, Figure 1, four ofthe sa'id'feefi -rolls l9 are employed and each may have the sameconstruction. l

As thehfabric :web -completes a downward movement from the initial feedroll IS, the latter being: positively driven it passes overthe lowermostend initial-separator roll Zil, from which theweb passes to the secondfeed "roll ill, and

thence toa third ,Ieed uroll.fl'9,. .fro'mavhich the web isjled itosthe: barsv of the chain; drive.

The ichainldriyemay. consist of two chains or the equiyalentflexiblelengths (one of the chain's being shown in Fig. 1, at 2|). Transverselyextending bars 22 are carried by the chains, and the chains and bars,with their driving elements constitute the chain drive. These drivingelements are the shafts 23 and two sprockets on the shafts lBa: may bejournaled in bearing members (not shown) carried by the face walls 163:and 16mm of the casing l6 for the developing chamber, and these shaftsmay carry sprocket wheels 25 engaged by drive chain 26 which may runover either sprocket wheels 21 (Fig. 2) One of the said shafts may bepositively driven, by any suitable means for effecting rotation of theshafts its and 23 to effect the drive.

In Fig. 1 I have shown means for heating the interior of the developingchamber i. e. the steam manifolds 27 and steam pipes 28.

The web of fabric after being led under each of the separator rolls 20to thereby build up laps of fabric upon the chain drive equivalent tothe number of separator rolls 20, shown in the drawing, passes tosuitable guide rollers 29 (Fig. 3) and under a smoothing plate 30, ifdesired. And the endless belt 3! may serve as a support for the web asit advances toward the turning bar 3| (Fig. 3). This belt may be ledover the pulleylike members 320i two drive shafts 33 carrying drivingpulleys connected by belt 34 and short belt 35 with a primary driveshaft 36. Additional shafts 33 with belts supporting wheels (not shown)may be provided. It will be understood that the means for feeding theweb to the turning bar, and for carrying the web from the turning bar toa point exterior to the developing chamber may be widely varied from themeans illustrated in Figure 3, the latter figure being largely schematicand suggestive of suitable instrumentalities. Thus synchronized motors31 may be employed for the entire drive system. These motors carryingpulleys 38 con nected by belts or chains 39 with pulleys on the rearwardI of the shaft 33 which shaft may project laterally of one of the framemembers 40 for the carrying of a pulley 4! which receives chain 34 andthe carrying of a second pulley receiving chain 35 led to shaft 36. maybe connected by bevel gears 42 with the shaft 43 from which power istaken for the operation of the chain feed and feeds for the shafts Fromthe development chamber the web will pass through an opening indicatedat 44 (Fig. 1) and onto a series of delivery rollers 45. The formationof the base area of the developing chamber, it being V-shaped enableseconomy in the quantity of treating solution employed in the chamber,and it will be seen that the fabric web passes through the treatingsolution as a layer entirely independent of other layers as to contacttherewith, the number of immersions of each portion of the web beingequivalent to the number of separator rol s employed.

It willbe understood that the time of travel of the fabric web throughthe development chamber while controlled by the number of separatormembers 20, may also be regulated by the driving speed of the machineand usual controls will be applied for that purpose. It will also beunderstood that the chain-feed at the upper areaof the developmentchamber may be independently driven as by means of a sprocket and chainShaft 36 arrangement which does not include the slatted rolls on shafts[9:0. In fact these slatted rolls may be idlers if desired.

I have shown in the drawings a usual type of turning bar with a roundededge for immediate contact with the fabric web. Any suitable form ofturning instrumentality may be employed as for example a round rod orroll. When the slatted rolls l9 are positively driven the drive will, ofcourse, be synchronized with the chain-feed. Also, it will be understoodthat the belt 3| at the fabric web turning device may be eliminated ifdesired, inasmuch as there will be sufficient tension upon the fabricweb as it is drawn out of the development chamber to coact with theturning bar 3| for maintaining the fabric web in straight lines.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is as follows:

1. A continuous dyeing machine for fabrics and the like comprising adevelopment chamber, means for guiding a web of fabric through at leastone dye bath and into said chamber, an endless conveyor within thechamber at its upper area and adapted to give underlying supportsubstantially throughout lengths of fabric led thereby from one side tothe opposite side of the chamber, said endless conveyor consisting ofparallel chains and spacing members connecting the same, a plurality ofrotary supports for said parallel chains, a plurality of superposedfabric-web separator rolls below said endless conveyor, means forguiding the web of fabric over one of such separator rolls thence overthe endless conveyor and thence successively over the remainingseparator rolls and the conveyor, means for imparting operative movementto the conveyor, and fabric-web discharging means above the separatorrolls for effecting the passage of the web out of the developmentchamher.

2. A continuous dyeing machine for fabrics and the like comprising adevelopment chamber, and in combination with means for applying dyematerial to a web of fabric, an endless conveyor within the chamber atits upper area and adapted to give underlying support substantiallythroughout lengths of fabric led thereby from one side to the oppositeside of the chamber, said endless conveyor consisting of parallel chainsand spacing members connecting the same, a plurality of rotary supportsfor said parallel chains, a plurality of superposed fabric-web separatormembers spaced from said endless conand the like comprising adevelopment chamber having a solution-carrying base area progressivelydecreasing in transverse area and volume capacity from top to bottomthereof; an endless conveyor within the chamber at the top area thereofand adapted to give underlying support substantially throughout lengthsof fabric led thereby from one side to the'opposite side of the chamber,said endless conveyor consisting of parallel chains and spacing membersconnecting the same, a plurality of rotary supports for said parallelchains, a plurality of elongated separator members arranged in avertical row below said endless conveyor, a plurality of rotaryfabric-Web supporting and driving members intermediate the endlessconveyor and the separator members, and driving means for said endlessconveyor.

4. A continuous dyeing machine for fabrics and the like comprising adevelopment chamber, and in combination with means for applying dyematerial to a Webof fabric, an endless conveyor within the chamberdisposed at an upper area thereof and adapted to give underlying supportsubstantially throughout lengths of fabric led thereby from one side tothe opposite side of the chamber, said endless conveyor consisting ofparallel chains and spacing members connecting the same, a plurality ofrotary supports for said parallel chains, the chamber having asolution-holding area at the base thereof, and the endless conveyorcomprising spaced endless flexible members and transversely extendingspaced connecting bars for said members, which bars are adapted ascarrier-supports for a web of fabric, a plurality of spaced separatormembers within said solution holding area and adapted to separatesectional areas of a continuous web of fabric led over said endlessconveyor, and means for withdrawing an end of said fabric web from apile of layers of said Web of fabric on said endless conveyor, and atthe bottom of the pile, and for passing said end of the web out of thedevelopment chamber in a direction transversely to the movement of theweb in its passage from the endless conveyor.

5. A continuous dyeing machine for fabric and the like constructed inaccordance with claim 4, in which said withdrawing means is disposed ata place intermediate the endless conveyor and the separator members, andformed as an inclined turning bar.

6. A continuous dyeing machine for fabrics and the like comprising adevelopment chamber, an endless conveyor within the chamber at the toparea thereof and adapted to give underlying support substantiallythroughout lengths of fabric led thereby from one side to the oppositeside of the chamber, said endless conveyor consisting of parallel chainsand spacing members connecting the same, a plurality of rotary supportsfor said parallel chains, a plurality of elongated separator membersarranged in a vertical row below said endless conveyor, a plurality ofrotary fabric-web supporting and driving members intermediate theendless conveyor and the separator members and disposed so thatalternate faces of the fabric are brought into contact with successiveseparator and intermediate rotary members.

- BERNARD V. STEC.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 675,606 Muenzenmaier June 4, 1901759,980 Fries May 17, 1904 1,682,453 Willheim Aug. 28, 1928 2,174,215Rose Sept. 26, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 52,944 GermanyJuly 31, 1890 486,029 Great Britain May 30, 1938

